Bihar: Death toll in Siwan hooch tragedy rises to 5

Siwan (Bihar) [India], January 24 (ANI): The death toll due to consuming spurious liquor in the Bala village in Lakari Nabiganj of Siwan district in Bihar, rose to five on Monday.
All the seriously ill are undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital of Siwan, a District Magistrate official said.
As per the information, the death toll due to this spurious liquor consumption is likely to be increased.
Police said 16 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the Siwan hooch tragedy. Whereas, further investigation is underway.
Notably, the incident came to light days after the Bihar Police recovered illicit liquor bottles hidden in a gutter in Danapur on December 21 last year. Since the deaths due to spurious liquor have come to the fore, the district administration has started running camps in the village.
The sale and consumption of alcohol have been banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar-led government in April 2016.
Previously in December last year, spurious liquor claimed the lives of over 50 people in Bihar's Chhapra and at least five people died after allegedly consuming hooch in the adjoining Siwan district. Angry family members of the deceased had obstructed the Siwan-Chapra Malmalia main road and undertook a protest. The bodies of the deceased were transported to Sadar Hospital in Siwan.
The deaths also caused an uproar both at the state and national levels with opposition leaders attacking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the deaths and he, in turn, reiterating in the assembly "piyoge to maroge". (If you drink you will die). (ANI)